1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to swimming pools, and, more particularly, to swim spas configured to allow a user to exercise therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
In relatively recent years, people are exercising more to improve short term health and increase longevity. Swimming is known to be a desired form of exercise since it provides cardiovascular benefits with no or low impact. A conventional inground or above-ground swimming pool may be large enough to allow a user to swim laps for exercise. However, such a conventional swimming pool occupies a relatively large footprint, which is not always possible with some urban or suburban locations.
Conventional heated spas, also known as hot tubs, provide certain health benefits to users, but typically are not large enough to allow a user to exercise by swimming. Rather, such spas include primary benefits of soft tissue massage, increased pulmonary circulation, and increased relaxation.
It is known to provide smaller pools which occupy a smaller footprint while still allowing a user to exercise by swimming in place within the pool. Such pools typically include an outlet at the head end of the pool from which a jet of water is directed toward a swimmer, and a separate plenum arrangement positioned outside the swimming compartment (the terms “head end” and “foot end” are used herein with respect to the orientation of a swimmer within the pool). Regardless of the particular plenum configuration, the plenum has an inlet positioned at the foot end of the pool opposite from the water jet outlet, and extends along the outside of the swimming compartment back to the head end of the pool to the water jet outlet. The additional plenum arrangement along the outside of the pool substantially increases the size of the pool, making it more difficult to install such a pool in some locations.
The Assignee of the present invention offers for sale a portable water jet device which may be installed over the edge of a pool to allow a user to swim in place within the pool. If the pool is in the form of a spa, then of course the spa must be large enough to allow the user to swim generally horizontally within the spa. Although this arrangement provides the convenience of using a conventional spa as a swim in place spa, the portable water jet device must be installed on and removed from the spa, and occupies already limited space within the swimming compartment of the spa.
What is needed in the art is a swim spa having an overall size which is more compact than conventional designs, while not affecting the size of the swimming compartment.